


Love and Logic

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Lucky Clover Diner Universe [4]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF (AU)
Genre: M/M, Sean Astin/Elijah Wood - Freeform, au fics, holiday fics, lucky clover diner universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 06:15:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9165670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: As Sean and Elijah prepare to celebrate their second New Year’s Eve together, Sean wonders if his love for him is holding Elijah back from a better life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my Lucky Clover Diner Universe
> 
> Written on New Year's Eve 2016.

[](http://s755.photobucket.com/user/elwoodlovesirish/media/The%20Lucky%20Clover%20Diner%20Universe.jpg.html)

It was hard to believe that a whole year had passed since Elijah had walked into the Lucky Clover Diner and into his life. When Sean had said on Christmas Eve that it had been the happiest year of his life, he hadn’t been lying, but what he hadn’t confided to Elijah was that he wasn’t sure it was fair to continue their relationship.

There was the age difference for one thing. He would be thirty years-old on his next birthday, while Elijah would be only twenty on his. He owned and operated a small diner where Elijah was working as a busboy. Was it fair of Sean to keep him from doing more with his life, or if he wasn’t preventing him, shouldn’t he at least be encouraging him to explore his options?

Shouldn’t Elijah be in college, getting an education that could lead to a good career? Shouldn’t he be making friends with guys his own age? And possibly falling in love with one of them. If Sean was being honest with himself, wasn’t that the real reason he wanted to keep things the way they were?

All thoughts of bringing the subject up faded from Sean’s mind when Elijah came out of the bedroom, trailed by Cocoa, the kitten he had found on Christmas Eve. Like Sean, Cocoa adored Elijah. She allowed Sean to feed her and clean her litter box, but kisses and lap-lounging were reserved for Elijah. And Sean couldn’t blame her. He couldn’t get enough of Elijah himself, which made what he was thinking about Elijah’s future even more difficult to contemplate.

Elijah gave Cocoa her food and fresh water, then they sat down for breakfast. Over scrambled eggs and bacon, Sean offered, “I can close the diner early tonight, the way I did on Christmas Eve.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Elijah told him.

“I just thought you might want to go out. It is New Year’s Eve, after all.”

Elijah shook his head. “We’ll be together at the diner. Who knows, maybe someone else will need your help like I did.” Realizing the implications of what he’d said, Elijah amended., “You wouldn’t help them the same way you helped me. Maybe someone will be too drunk to drive and you can call a cab for them.”

“Are you sure about spending New Year’s Eve at the Lucky Clover?” Sean asked.

“I’m sure,” Elijah confirmed. “Being with you at the diner is all the night out I need. I like helping you there.”

Having Elijah give him the opening he needed, Sean said, “I appreciate the help, but isn’t there something else you’d rather be doing?”

Elijah’s forkful of scrambled eggs stopped half-way to his mouth. “What do you mean?”

Sean shrugged. “I just thought you might want a different kind of career instead of clearing dirty dishes off tables at the diner. You might want to go to college.”

“Even if I wanted to go, I can’t afford it.”

“You might be able to get financial help, and college life might be fun for you. You’d have a chance to live on your own the right way, meet kids your own age.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Elijah asked. He’d said it jokingly, with a grin, but suddenly his face changed and the grin disappeared. Now Sean saw not only uncertainty in his eyes, but hurt. “You didn’t really mean what you said on Christmas Eve, did you?” he said, his voice strained. “You’ve decided this isn’t working out and you don’t want me anymore.”

“No, Elijah,” Sean said quickly. “It’s nothing like that.”

“Then why are you talking about sending me away?”

“Nobody said anything about sending you away. It’s just that…” He sighed. “Look, Elijah, once I took over the diner, I gave up any chance I had of a different kind of career, but you’re just starting out. You’re young enough to do anything you want with your life. Being with me limits your options, and I don’t want that for you.”

“What about what I want, Sean? Doesn’t that matter?”

“Of course it matters, but you’re so much younger than I am. You made one choice, to be here with me, but it was made at a terrible time in your life, and there are other choices you haven’t considered yet. What if later on you’re sorry you didn’t?”

“Maybe I’ll decide it was the wrong choice,: Elijah said vehemently, “but isn’t it mine to make?”

Sean decided to be totally honest. “I only want the best for you, Elijah, and I’m afraid I’m being selfish by believing what’s best for you is me.”

”Why are you only worried about _my_ choices?” Elijah demanded. “Why aren’t you worried about yours?”

“My choices?” Sean asked in surprise. “This isn’t about my choices.”

“But it should be,” Elijah countered. “You asked me to live here with you because you thought we’d be good together.”

“What does that have to do with what we’re talking about?”

“Everything,” Elijah explained. “What if you _do_ change the way you feel about me? Then _you_ won’t be happy with the choice you made. Did you ever think of that?”

Realizing that Elijah had turned his own argument back on him, Sean answered from the heart. “I love you, Elijah, and I don’t see that ever changing.”

“Then why are you so sure it will change for me?”

Sean lifted his hands, palms out. “Uncle,” he said, then at Elijah’s quizzical look, “I surrender.”

Elijah returned to his breakfast, deciding he’d made his point. “Good.”

Sean had to give him credit. Elijah, who was ten years his junior, had bested him with such simple logic. “You know that tonight isn’t only New Year’s Eve,” he announced, “but since it’s the night we met, it’s also our anniversary.”

Elijah finished his eggs and brought his plate to the sink. “That gives us two things to celebrate.”

“Yes it does,” Sean agreed, “and we better get things started by opening the diner.”

When they crossed the street to The Lucky Clover, Sean was feeling much better about things than he had when he’d woken up that morning. Logic had no place when it came to love, and it had taken his young lover to make him see it.

It was a typical day at the diner, and at five minutes to midnight, Sean and Elijah found themselves alone. Sean went into the storage room and emerged with two plastic champagne flutes and a foil-sealed bottle.

Elijah raised his eyebrows. “Champagne?” he asked.

Sean chuckled. “Not on my budget. I’m afraid we’ll have to ring in the new year with sparkling cider.”

“Fine by me,” Elijah said. He held the glasses while Sean opened the bottle.

Once their glasses were filled, they raised them in a toast, and at midnight, they kissed, then downed the contents. Sean started to ask Elijah if he’d made any New Year’s resolutions, then thought better of it. As for his own resolutions, Sean had only one. This coming year, he would forget logic, forget guilt, and as he had on the night he and Elijah had met, leave their future to the fates.


End file.
